Two deals have been secured at CEG’s Verdant office development at South Gyle Business Park in west Edinburgh.
Distribution company, Menzies, is taking a 7,500 sq ft office as its new headquarter base. Property management experts, Hacking and Paterson, opted for a turnkey office solution, taking 3,000 sq ft of CEG’s Let Ready Custom Design + Fit Out solution.
Mike Irvine from Savills acted for Menzies, he said: “Menzies was attracted to Verdant by the high-quality nature of the accommodation within the building which it was felt set it aside from the competition. The willingness of the landlord, CEG, to work with Menzies in terms of timescales and procurement was also absolutely fundamental to the deal.”
The Verdant development has proved popular since its £4.5million makeover, which saw the addition of a new café, gym with leisure club quality changing facilities, EV charging and a cycle hub with secure parking and repair facility.
In addition to traditional office space from 1,421 sq ft to full floors of 21,600 sq ft, CEG has also delivered four Let Ready studios. Offering a range of interior design options, the fully furnished workspace for teams of 18 to 51 people provides modern kitchens and dedicated meeting rooms so tenants can move in, plug in and start work immediately.
Grace Lewis, investment manager at CEG, explains: “We are delighted to welcome the teams at Menzies and Hacking and Paterson to the thriving business community at Verdant. With traditional office space on offer, as well as our fully fitted Let Ready studios, we were pleased to see Hacking and Peterson opt for our fully customised design and fit out service.
“Our experienced in-house team of project managers and designers worked with them to manage the process from end to end, sharing best practice and meeting business goals from design and layout to productivity, health and sustainability, removing the risk from the tenant so they could simply focus on their businesses.
“With a UK-wide network of tried and tested contractors and suppliers we can also negotiate the best possible price and, better yet, there is no upfront cost as we amortise the capital as part of the package.”
Fully powered by renewable energy, Verdant’s redevelopment saw environmental improvements such as new glazing, energy efficient heating, lighting and ventilation.
CEG has also appointed an on-site Life team who help staff and local businesses connect. The team and its Life app are dedicated to making occupier’s lives easier, happier, healthier and more productive through promotions, wellness activities, support and events.
Savills and Eyco are the agents for Verdant. Verdant occupies a prime location on Edinburgh’s bypass with good links to motorway networks. Close to Edinburgh airport and just six miles from the city centre, it has an established transport interchange where trains, buses, trams are within walking distance for staff and visitors.
One of the most successful business locations in Scotland, the Park is already home to Fujitsu, BT, Sainsburys, HSBC and RBS. Facilities include Gyle Shopping Centre boasting retailers such as Marks and Spencer, cafés, restaurants, a children’s nursery, gym and hotel.
CEG also manages the adjacent three office development, The Stones. The company specialises in long-term investment, seeking properties it can improve, creating collaborative business communities designed to help occupiers thrive and go. Offering concierge services and a unique Core and Flex lease model designed to allow a business to expand and contract within the space. This helps to manage company growth and additional projects, as well as seasonal demand and the effects that social distancing will have on their office requirements.